The Red Lobster Journal for 1965

My First Ascent of the Golden Ears

I was in grade 11, and Chris Plateel and Ian Church were good enough to take me up the Golden Ears in May of '65. We drove up Gold Creek in Chris's Chevy II, managed to punch a hole in the oil pan, and started on our one day ascent of something I had dreamed about for a long time.

We crossed the creek on a little cable car just above where the bailey bridge once stood and started up the road. There was snow almost right away. It was a clear day and we reached the summit about noon. Near the summit, things steepened up and we used a rope. It was my first "climb" and it felt great.

On the way down I suffered from leg cramps something awful. I still remember squeezing my leg muscle in an effort to make it go away.

I hadn't realized the effects of the sun and snow and that night and the next day I suffered from a horrendous sun burn. My face turned to a mass of yellow blisters and my mom talked to the doctor about what to do. Mole brushless shaving cream was used to keep my skin moist. Mom was worried about scarring. I felt so proud of myself that I had climbed the Golden Ears that the blisters didn't make me feel that bad. No scarring resulted but I was left with wonderful memories and an appreciation for what Chris and Ian had given me.

... Keith Rajala